Puddle
17% 
Puddle
VERDICT: This isn’t a game. It is physics tech demo with achievements. Great physics work and cool animations. Unfortunately, the game is boring as sin. You just rock the screen back and forth. Since you can’t see obstacles ahead, the gameplay is just trial and error until you rock the screen back and forth ‘properly’. While the puddle is cool, it gets tossed aside so you get to swing with buckets and other things not nearly that interesting. Not like a puddle was an interesting protagonist anyway.
VERSION: GOG
Puddle is available on Windows and Macs. I’m not sure about Linux, but I don’t think Linux users will care either way.
INPUT:
The game was able to recognize my Mayflash Classic Controller naturally. I recommend using a controller over a keyboard due to the sensitivity of the ’tilting’. It works better using the analog sticks.
TECHNICAL ISSUES:
None. Game performed flawlessly.
WHAT IS IT?
Puddle consists of creating momentum for the object in the center of the screen (such as a puddle) by tilting the screen left or right. This will either guide the puddle to the exit or the move the objects where they are supposed to go. The faster you do this with as much of the puddle remaining obtains you more ‘points’. The best is the gold award.
Above: The game is beautiful.
JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RATING
I was very excited to play this. There didn’t seem to be many reviews (which I’m learning is a bad sign) so maybe this game’s joy was unknown. My first impression was that this was a 2d Monkey Ball (which would have been cool!). It is nothing like that. The game rapidly goes downhill once you start.
Above: I don’t know what to write here. Look how the liquid splashes around. What can I say? This game is harder to comment on than a shmup!
The problem with the game is that there is no game there. The player doesn’t make any decisions. It is a numb minded way to just tilt the screen one way or tilt the screen another way. It is constant trial and error. I have no idea what is fun with this. After going through half the stages, I declared I was done. Going through any more would be torture.
The game protagonist doesn’t work. Who cares about a puddle!? It’s a freaking puddle!
Why this game is winning any awards is beyond me. The game isn’t fun and no one seems to be playing it. But that’s OK, let’s just give awards for ‘physics engine’ or whatever.
The game does have some good points. The sound is very well done (I could care less about the music). The animations were also well done. It was really fun, at first, to watch the puddle slide around.
Above: This game is like a book with a beautiful cover but the writing is a mess. Don’t let the graphics fool you on how terrible this game is.
You know what NES game this reminds me of? Those R.O.B. games like Stack Up. Utterly awful. Duck Hunt felt more like a game. Like Athena and her golf club, Puddle has some charm with its animation, sound, and physics engine. Avoid.
Link Because It Doesn’t Want to Embed
Above: In this more complicated level, the game looks fun. However, it does not play like fun. The only fun in the game is watching the physics engine do its thing. It is not fun tilting the screen back and forth in endless trials and errors.
Link Because It Doesn’t Want to Embed
Above: While the game maker tried to be interesting with the levels, they come across more as disgusting. Look! You get to play as the poop! Guide the poop through the body! Go poop, go! Never before has a game made me feel like having diarrhea. Watch it if you dare!
Note: If you did enjoy Puddle, for whatever reason, please comment and let me know HOW you enjoyed the game. I don’t know how to enjoy this game, and I’m looking for anyone out there who says, “Hotdog! I enjoyed Puddle and love playing it constantly!” This assumes that Puddle is a game that can be enjoyed.
This game is a clone of Fluidity which came out on WiiWare a couple years ago and there is a sequel coming out on 3DS I believe. I tried the demo and it’s one of those games where the concept is kind of fun because it’s new and playing with physics is entertaining, but after 30 minutes to an hour you get really sick of it and move on. As you said, there are no decisions because there is always only one way to go through an area. At least in Fluidity you would use the wiimote on its side to tilt the world, it’s a lot more intuitive.
The graphics and physics would make a great 2d platformer game. Moving a puddle around in tubes is something R.O.B. would love, but humans would not.
It must be the concept and graphics that is selling the game to the platform holders (this game seems to be on every platform). I literally cannot stand this game. I’m curious as to whether I’m missing something or not.
Isn’t this game available on the Wii U eShop? I was wondering if it would be worth purchasing. Now, I honestly think the LeapPad game about bugs rolling around a picnic was the better buy.